Bilsky, Lillian (Freiman)

Bilsky, Lillian (Freiman)

There are many organizations of which Lillian was part of, or led. As a youth, she helped troubled youth and developed organizational skills that were useful for fund raising. She helped many soldiers and veterans and opened her home to them as well. She supplied sewing machines in her house so Jewish women could come and prepare clothing. This ended up growing in service to the Red Cross, and helping many children receive gifts at Christmas. Her main focus was in assisting Jews and those less fortunate: displaced orphans, Jewish immigrants and refugees, women , the unemployed. In her more focused work towards Zionism, after World War 1, she was a voice of inspiration for Israeli women in terms of reconstructing their ‘long-hope-for-Land’ in order to form a stronger nation. She toured Canada in order to promote a national Hadassah-WIZO organization and raise money, which was highly successful.

Ottawa- 1898- 1940

Person

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Organizations listed in list of occupations.

Shirley Berman, “BILSKY, LILLIAN (Freiman),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 16, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed May 30, 2021, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/bilsky_lillian_16E.html.

1885

Mattawa, Ontario

1940

Montreal

Social Organizer and administrator; Philanthropist; Zionist Leader.
TITLES:
(Ottawa) Children’s Aid Society working with troubled youth; President of the Jewish War Orphans Committee of Canada, President of the Hebrew Benevolent Society; the Jewish Women’s League of Ottawa, the Women’s auxiliary of the Perly Home for Incurables and the city’s Girl Guides; Vice-president of the Ottawa Branches of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and of the Local Council of women; President of the Herzl Ladies’ Society in 1910; Led the Helping Hand Fund for Destitute Jewry in Palestine(1918); The Canadian chair of the Palestine Emergency fund (1929) and Dominion chairperson of the United Palestine Appeal (1934). (touring Canada) President of the Hadassah Organization of Canada (1919-1940).

Not stated. (possibly French, English and /or Hebrew Language.

She was one of 12 children and married to Archie Freiman n 1903 who also had a passion for Palestine and humanitarian work. Her father was the first one to have reside in Ottawa. Lillian developed the heart of a humanitarian in part because his parents opened their home for those less fortunate. She would channel her empathy towards impoverished Jewish immigrants. Golda Meir described her as a “symbol of what a proud Jewish woman should be.” She was well honoured in her death. In 1935, about her work for the cause of Palestine (much of which was done from Ottawa) said “Zionism for us must be not only a political movement…it should be our philosophy of life.” She was Jewish, a Zionist, but she helped people no matter their religious affiliations. Because her and her husband had such an impact in Israel, there are communities named after them.

Lillian is known as the “Poppy lady” because she helped raised funds for Canadian veterans after WWI, in 1921. She made the first Canadian poppies in her own home.
Canada, Parks. “Press Backgrounder: Lillian Bilsky Freiman (1885-1940).” Canada.ca. Government of Canada, October 9, 2018. https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2018/10/press-backgrounder-lillian-bilsky-freiman-1885-1940.html.

Image courtesy of Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives/ Archives juives canadiennes Alex Dworkin. Photographer: Paul Horsdal of Ottawa.

Quebec Since 1800 (Carleton, HIST 3301A)

Eliane Guité